What's growing on?

Happy New Year everyone!
Welcome to the January Gardens for Harvest Newsletter.  
I'd like to thank everyone again who participated in the survey, we have found the feedback extremely helpful and we have included some adjustments to the program. 
We noted that many of you are keen for local information, so we will try to include more of this throughout the year. Many of you also said you would be likely to participate in a Community Garden.  My new role at Yarra Ranges Council is researching Food Security strategies for our area, and your feedback has helped solidify the keen interest in this area, and hopefully we might see the develpment of more Community Gardens.
 I would love to call on is the wisdom of the elders.
If you have any handy gardening hints, tricks you've had passed down in your family, funny gardening stories, old school knowledge, or garden bloopers to share please email them to me.  
 c.mcnab@yarraranges.vic.gov.au

On this spectacular Wurundjeri Country we are now in: Biderap (Dry season)
Jan-Feb
Hot and dry weather, low rainfall.
Tussock grass is long and dry.
Southern Cross high in the south at sunrise.
Female common brown butterflies flying.

• Cool to Cold Areas

  Low temperatures for extended periods of time (all of Tasmania, most of Victoria, the southern highlands of NSW, the ACT and a tiny southern bit of SA)

• It’s cool inside (hopefully) and pretty warm outside, but there is still a lot of things you can pop in the patch at this time of year. Tasty herbs that are ready to roll include basil, parsley, watercress, sage and dill. You could give mint a go as well, but be careful to contain it in a pot, otherwise it can take over! As tempting as it is to plant coriander, that screams summer. It will not do well this time of year and will head straight to seed.
• Tasty vegetables to plant this month: spring onions, leeks, lettuces and zucchini!
• Add some colour and movement to the patch, and pop in some of these little pretties: stock, verbena and ageratum.
• Time to pop in some sunflower seeds. Find a sunny spot where you would like to see some happy sunflowers later in the year and plant the seeds to double the depth of the seed. Cover lightly with dirt and be patient, they’ll be popping their heads up in no time!
• Top up mulch on your veggie patches, herb gardens and ornamental beds, especially important if you are heading off this holidays. A hot summer tip is to mulch after watering the patch, to a depth of about 7cm. Keep mulch clear of plant stems… especially young seedlings. Choose sustainable, low environmental impact mulch, one that will enrich your soil as it breaks down.
• Green manure crops, including millet and mung beans are good to go now. Improve that weary veggie patch, and get ready for next seasons heavy feeding plants! Check out the Crop Rotation article on the SGA website for a bit of information why and how Green Manure crops can help
• Plants feel the need for a feed at this time of year. A seaweed tea or low environmental impact liquid fertiliser is perfect, especially for the seedlings planted in at the tail end of last year. Throughout the growing period diluted worm teas can be added to your garden every couple of weeks. This will help keep up the growth and fruiting capabilities of your plants .Apply to the soil early in the morning, in the concentrations mentioned on the packet.
• On non-gardening days, why not head out to the shed, and construct a couple of shade cloth tents. They don’t have to elaborate, just a simple, moveable structure that you can pop over the top of some of the sun sensitive veggies (like eggplant, capsicum and others) as the heat becomes more intense. Think of it as slip, slop, slap for plants! Pop these around where required, especially on high UV days, windy days, and during your holidays.

Of course, this is just a rough guide, and many of you will find your situation varies from the above listing, due to microclimates created in your garden, location in relation to your nearest major city, extremes of weather (quite possible at this time of year) and garden type.

But the one thing that remains the same for all zones and regions is this: start out the year as you mean to go on, and give your patch some much needed love!

Have a think about what you want to get out of it. Make a list ( if you don’t already have one). Due to the heat this may be the time where you sit back and plan what you want to achieve so that when the weather does cool somewhat, you’ll be full steam ahead.

Otherwise be smart about the time you spend in the garden, avoid the heat and direct sun and remember to hydrate. Early mornings and evenings can be a blissful time to spend in your garden.

• January in your patch | January In Your Patch (sgaonline.org.au)

Crispy Fried Zucchini

Ingredients

• Zucchini – Sliced to about 1/4-inch rounds with the peel still on.
• Breadcrumbs – I used Panko breadcrumbs because they’re my absolute favorite in recipes like these.
• Seasoning – Salt and pepper either measured or to taste.
• Flour – All purpose is all we need, we want the flour to stick to the moist surface of our zucchini rounds and ensure we develop a nice crispy outer shell.
• Eggs – These will act as the binder for our dredge, be sure to use 3 large eggs to ensure you have enough dredge.
• Oil – We want a light neutral tasting oil to fry up these little crispy coins

• How To Make Crispy Fried Zucchini

• Heat the oil: In a large skillet.
• Combine the dry ingredients: Mix the breadcrumbs together with the salt and pepper. Add the flour to a large shallow plate and beat the eggs in another shallow plate.
• Prep the zucchini: Dredge the zucchini rounds through the flour first, dip into eggs, and finally dredge into the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to coat.
• Finish the dish: Fry the zucchini rounds until golden brown on both sides. Repeat until all the zucchini slices are breaded and fried.
• Crispy Fried Zucchini - Craving Home Cooked

There are quite a few issues that I regularly see crop up. Here are my top ten mistakes that I regularly see Melbourne based gardeners make, and suggestions in avoiding making them yourself.

The edible part of the carrot is the long tap root. When carrot seedlings are transplanted, you often damage this taproot. The result is forked and or twisted carrots! Always grow root crops such as carrots from seed. 

Other tactics to help overcome forked or split carrots are:

• Don’t over fertilize the soil. Carrots don’t like soils high in nitrogen. So, plant carrots in beds that have been previously used to grow heavy feeders such as brassicas or sweetcorn.
• Break up heavy clay soils to enable the taproot to easily grow down deep, with little resistance
• Plant a variety less prone to forking. We’ve had great success with planting the variety “Topweight Improved” and now plant this variety almost exclusively.
•  

  Planting Stressed
  Brassica Seedlings

  In spring I see social media flooded with images of small stunted cauliflower and broccoli heads. Well meaning gardeners advise that the grower should have fed the plants more, or provide them with Epsom salts, or all manner of advice. 

  However, the problem usually occurred right back when the plants were transplanted. Brassica seedlings (which also includes cabbages and Brussels sprouts) hate to get root bound or stressed (eg through the potting mix drying out). Large seedlings purchased from hardware chains are likely to be already stressed and will quickly bolt to seed.

  It will not matter how much TLC you give Brassica seedlings after they become stressed, it is too late! Come spring, you will have very small plants with a very small broccoli or cauliflower head. So, if you are purchasing Brassica seedlings grab the SMALLEST plants you can find. Aim to purchase seedlings with only one or two true leaves.
  Top Ten Gardening Mistakes Made by Melbourne Based Gardeners - Leaf, Root & Fruit Gardening Services (leafrootfruit.com.au)

Nourish Network

Connecting community with resources & contact form

Do you have a resource to add to this page?  Or a kitchen, some land, a garden or space to share with a community group?  Please let us know so we can add it to our available list of resources.
Other Resources - Yarra Ranges Food Connections

Mooroolbark Urban Harvest – Food Swap

• When: Monthly on the 2nd Saturday @ 10:00 – 11:30am
• Where: Red Earth Community Park Brice Ave, Mooroolbark VIC 3138
• Contact: Claire Smith  Ph:0425 700 280
• Cost: Free.

The Valley Market ECOSS

Yarra Ranges Food Connections

Yarra Ranges Food Connections  is a group of not-for-profit services and individuals with an aim to create a more sustainable and local food economy. We have a whole of food systems focus with a long-term vision of a resilient, sustainable, healthy and equitable food system within the Yarra Ranges, where the community are mobilized and empowered.

Yarra Valley Bee Group January Meeting

ABOUT Permaculture Yarra Valley.

Permaculture Yarra Valley is a not-for-profit association, incorporated in Victoria under the Association’s Incorporation Reform Act of 2012. We have a bio-regional focus on the Yarra Valley, with our membership spread throughout the Yarra Valley and adjoining areas.

Our VISION is:

• A socially and environmentally thriving Yarra Valley where people embrace permaculture principles in their home and community.

Our MISSION is:

• To engage with the Yarra Valley community in permaculture, in order to inspire, educate, and encourage individuals and organisations to embrace the permaculture way of life

Our VALUES are:

• Community – connecting people to improve wellbeing
• Responsibility – to ourselves, to others, to the environment
• Resilience – people, systems and planet which can withstand change
• Learning – increasing awareness, skills and understanding through practical education and demonstration
• Environment – living in harmony through respect for nature and past and present cultures
• Sharing – fostering generosity and inspiring ethical behaviour

• Membership – Permaculture Yarra Valley

Healesville Community Garden